conclusions.revisited

since returning to america from time spent in east africa, i have taken a temporary job in the tire and lube express at wal-mart to cover bills and prepare to re-enter college. on a daily basis, customers come in and complain about such menial things as the length of time of a 15-point oil change and inspection, or why they were charged a 70 cent disposal fee to discard their tires.

every day my heart is broken...

over the course of an 8-hour shift, an estimated 14,400 children die in africa of malaria. the cost of an oil change could treat nearly 40 children infected with the world's deadliest virus. the spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes could be drastically diminished by the simple act of properly discarding automotive tires.

in the time it takes the average reader to view my blog, 10 children will have died. depressing? it could be. overwhelming? it may be. conclusion? prayer and action.

prayer first. why prayer first? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. a praying man (or woman) has the opportunity to join hands with the King of kings, he gains access to the King's vaults and armories, and, like joseph, he becomes a steward of justice in the land.

action second. why action second? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. without the focus attained through prayer, our cluttered minds, though originally intentful, may soon be overtaken by the more remedial. where at once, we were focused on making a difference, we may now be resigned to the thought that perhaps the only difference we can make is one made at great length.

some are called to making a difference from a distance but many who feel as though they are really aren't. they have seen the need but became overwhelmed by the scope of it instead of being overwhelmed by the size of God and His mercy and grace.

am i called to making a difference from a distance, or am i called to experience it first-hand?

it's a valid question. but i think we go about laying our fleeces with the wrong impression of what fleece laying is. we say that we need to know if this trip is where God is leading us. we need to know if it's God's plan. abram did not tell God that he needed to know, he just went not even knowing his destination. we lay our fleeces believing they will determine for us what God is saying. when gideon laid his fleece, his intention was to clarify whether he was hearing the Lord correctly- not to use it like it were some divine fortune cookie.

i think our apprehension of pursuing what we think God might be leading us to do may stem, in part, from a fear of failure. we like to make calculated risks. we don't like stepping into the unknown. how do i know this? the popluarity of books such as the purpose driven life, your best life now and who moved my cheese as well as countless other books on why we're here and dealing with change on the best seller lists suggests it. the other part of our apprehension of pursuing what God might be leading us to do may stem from our fear of inadequecy.

when God opens the door for us to go on a short trip for His glory, just what is it, exactly, that He is asking of us? to seek justice, encourage the oppressed. defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (isaiah 1:17)

for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...